Vampiric Magick
by Ausrine
Summary: This is an AU story. It’s basically full of Myth & Magick with a heavy Liz/Max romance tossed in. All the parts about vampires are naturally fabricated from my imagination and ‘the Vampire Masquerade’ is my main inspiration for some of the laws and
1. Should've Just Stayed Home

Title: Vampiric Magick  
  
Author: Midnight Magi (aka Bex)  
  
Email: Bex_Bridge@hotmail.com  
  
Category: M/L , I'm a pure Dreamer.  
  
Rating: PG 13 to NC-17 (depends on the chapter) Distribution: Ask first, I want to know where it's going.  
  
Disclaimer: Believe me, if I owned Roswell there would be a clause in Jason Behr's contract saying his got to perform carnal acts of sexual pleasure with me.  
  
Summary: I seem to have written most of the summary in 'Authors Note' since that's where I think the info partially belongs in this case. Just so there's some kind of summary here, I tell you this, the following story is gonna be one hell of a Tess basher! And I mean all out war literally. It's based in England, due to the fact I'm fed up of converting to US spellings for words.  
  
Author's Note: This is an AU story. It's basically full of Myth & Magick with a heavy Liz/Max romance tossed in. All the parts about vampires are naturally fabricated from my imagination and 'the Vampire Masquerade' is my main inspiration for some of the laws and social structures of the vampires.  
  
The Magick on the other hand is a different story, if your one of the people that know me or you have read my profile then you know I'm deeply into the Occult. All the rituals that are mentioned or done in this story are factual things, based on real Qabalahlist or Ceremonial Magick rituals.  
  
(If wanted, I'll add a bibliography for each chapter, so you know where it comes from.)  
  
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But first, on earth as vampire sent,  
  
Thy corpse shall from it's tomb to be rent:  
  
Then ghastly haunt thy native place,  
  
And suck the blood of all thy race; ~ Lord Byron  
  
I'm Liz Parker and five days ago I had a vision. After that, things got really weird.... that's why I'm standing alone in a barren dark alley at night right now.  
  
The alley is wet from the winter rainfall a few hours ago, giving it the appearance of slime upon the ground and walls in this dim light. Standing at the very end of the passageway shrouded in darkness I continue my vigil of watching the mouth of the alley for any signs of life.  
  
'What the fuck am I doing here? I knew it was crazy to turn up, but did I listen the rational side of my brain? I think not!'  
  
Glancing down any my watch I stare at the glowing little hands for a moment before noting it's five minuets till midnight. Wrapping my black leather trench coat around me tighter I shiver as the cold night breeze drifts down the alley and seems to penetrate my very bone's with icy fingerers.  
  
'That's it, another five minuets and I'm outta here. Curiosity isn't worth freezing my arse off for!' Curiosity has always been my downfall, wanting to know everything that's unknown or yet discovered has gotten me in trouble before, but its never made me act stupidly enough to go wait in a murky alley for two hours in the south London all on my own though.  
  
Memories churn up inside me and my thoughts drift back to five days ago upon the night of my cleansing ritual.  
  
The sent of Sandalwood and Vervain hang strongly in the air, dozens of burning candles litter themselves around the room filling the place with a dim golden light. My skin still gently hums from the hot herb bath I had 20 minutes ago in preparation for this.  
  
Visualizing a bright white light above me in the shape of a sphere I take my dagger in my right hand and point to my forehead and vibrate the Hebrew word "Ah-TAH". The deep clear sounds softly echo around the room as I move the dagger downwards to my feet, visualizing the light coming down along with the blade into the ground beneath me I vibrate the word "Mahl-KOOT".  
  
Bringing the blade to my right shoulder I see the white light running down the center of my body form a beam from my heart area out to my right, feeling the light extent to the end of the universe, and beyond, I say "Vih G'Boo-RAH". Moving the point of the dagger horizontally to my left shoulder I see the light now extending through infinite space to my left. Focusing on the beam of light I say "Vih G'Doo-Lah" and then clasp my hands upon my chest as if praying.  
  
Seeing a brilliant golden glow within my chest I vibrate the words "Lih- Oh- LAHM, Ah-MEN." Continuing on with the banishing ritual I perform the words and actions automatically, not even thinking about it.  
  
Starting to evocate the Archangels to my presence I see a hill form in front of me as if it was a great distance away, a figure dressed in yellow robes which have some purplish highlights stands upon it with a caduceus wand, the figure's robes wave in the wind and I can actually feel the breeze upon my skin. "Before me, Rah-fay-EL" I yell.  
  
I feel another figure appear behind me, knowing him instantly, dressed in blue with some orange highlights, holding a cup and surrounded by waterfalls, I feel the moisture in the air and say "Behind me, Gahb-ray- EL."  
  
Perceiving the arrival of the next Archangel holding a flaming sword and dress in scarlet red robes I get ready to vibrate his name when suddenly a cold chill runs through the room and the presence of the Archangels is gone within a second.  
  
A rush of adrenaline goes through me when I hear scratching noises coming from outside the closed door to this room. The air becomes thick and heavy, looking back over to the alter I reach for my pentacle to expel whatever force has intruded upon me.  
  
My eye's focus upon the alter and I suddenly recoil my hand back in shock at what's before me. A face has formed within the smoke of the incense that is looking at me with hollow eyes.  
  
"Liz." I hear it say in a powerful voice and yet its lips of smoke do not move.  
  
"Your destiny awaits you, five nights hence on the day of Saturn you will go to London and let your senses guide you to the place of rest."  
  
Cutting whatever it is off in mid-sentence I say in an authoritative and almost mocking voice. "Urm, I think not somehow, I have not called you here, you have no right to appear before me and."  
  
"You have no choice in the matter, fate its self has decreed you be there, you can not fight it." The vapor says.  
  
Just as I'm about to speak up again ordering the spirit to leave some of the smoke trickles down to the ground near my feet and within it a form appears, all my protests evaporate when the image clears and the face of the most hansom man I've ever seen materializes.  
  
Strong chiseled out facial features wrapped in honey-tanned skin with short soft dark brown hair emerge from the smoke. I find myself lost within beautiful amber coloured eyes that seem to shimmer gold, but the coldness within them alarms me, a predatory hunger mixed with hate seems to seep from them. But yet, he seems so familiar to me, like a face from a vivid dream I long forgot, the desire to be near him overwhelms me.  
  
"His name is Zan, when he was human he was known as Max." My head snaps up from the vision before me to look at the spectral face, which I had almost forgotten about.  
  
"What do you mean 'when he was human'?" I ask my voice sounding small and quite like a child's.  
  
Continuing on as if I hadn't said anything the voice continues. "You must seek him out, become one with him in every way, unit against your enemies or otherwise all is lost."  
  
"Enemies? I don't have any enemies." I say a smile creeping on my face at the thought of such a thing.  
  
The face starts to dissipate within the smoke just before it's completely gone it whispers "You will soon."  
  
A noise snaps my attention back to the present and for a moment I'm confused about where I am. Looking around the alley it comes back to me as I see the flickering street lamp, my eyes try to focus on what's making the noise up ahead.  
  
There's a small group of people gathered at the entrance to the alleyway there shouting at one another. A woman has her back to the wall for support and is grasping at her chest in pain. There are three others, two guys dressed in black stand either side of her looking at her maliciously and a short girl with curly blond hair, dressed as if she was a prostitute, stands before her.  
  
The blond is yelling at the woman in a shrilled voice that makes me grind my teeth upon hearing the sound even though I can't make out the words, she draws back her hand and slaps the woman across the face, the harsh sound of the hit echo's slightly in the alley. The woman shows no fear of the girl though and continues to stand proud trying to hide the pain she's in.  
  
Knowing I should really try to help the woman I realise something in my instincts won't let me. Instead I slowly creep forward a little to see better and hopefully overhear what it is their saying.  
  
"Sean, how could you betray me! I trusted you! I made you second in our clan only to me and then you dare to plot against me with her!" the woman says nodding towards the blond.  
  
"You know Serena, if I had known how easy it would be to kill you I would of done this centuries ago." The blond says in a cruel voice while letting out a sinister chuckle.  
  
"Tess, you worthless little whore, you know too well that you can't kill me, in a fight I would make you seem like nothing more than a weak fledgling and you know it. The only way you've managed to bring about a victory for yourself is by poising me, and such slyness shows what a twisted little creature you truly are!" Serena shouts as loud as she can.  
  
"Shut Up!" Tess screeches and hits her hard across the face again, this time Serena topples to the ground. "I will have your entire clan soon enough Serena, combined with mine it will make me the most powerful Vampire on the high council!" She says smugly regaining her calm demeanor.  
  
"You're a fool Tess, you should know better than anyone that you have to kill me in a fair fight to takeover my clan, the moment the council finds out you poisoned me they'll never allow you to get your claws into it and will most probably strip you of yours as punishment." Serena says in a weak voice.  
  
"Oh, Serena!" Tess says in mock shock. "I never killed you, I haven't even seen you in weeks, tomorrow when the council is assembled your going to be found missing, no one will know what's happened to you, then your trusted second in command Sean here is going to become your proxy while you're missing, when your not found the council will make him the full leader."  
  
Walking up to the one they called Sean I watch as the blond runs her index fingerer down his chest to his groin, cupping it. "And we all know who Sean takes his orders from." Tess says seductively.  
  
"Bitch" Serena mutters.  
  
Sharply spinning around Tess takes one stride towards her and brings her hand up preparing to slap her once more, in mid-strike a evil gleam comes into her eyes and her fingerers claw round as they impact Serena's white skin. Four red lines slowly dripping with dark blood mar her beautiful features and I wince at the pain she seems to be in.  
  
"Well, if you don't mind Serena, Darling, me and my companions will depart now and leave you to die in the gutter where you belong."  
  
Tess spins around on her heal with a bounce in her step and heads out of the alley. The two guys take a moment to look at one another before deciding to follow her out on to the street.  
  
I sit there crouched in the dark for a few minutes too make sure that those three were really gone. Serena's body starts to go limp and her eyes close while leaning against the wall. Making up my mind, I slowly get up and apprehensively walk towards her slouched form. 


	2. Vampire Like No Other

Previously  
"Well, if you don't mind Serena, Darling, me and my companions will depart now and leave you to die in the gutter where you belong."  
  
Tess spins around on her heal with a bounce in her step and heads out of the alley. The two guys take a moment to look at one another before deciding to follow her out of the alley.  
  
I sit there crouched in the dark for a few minutes too make sure that those three were really gone. Serena's body starts to go limp and her eyes close while leaning against the wall. Making up my mind, I slowly get up and apprehensively walk towards her slouched body.  
  
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Part 2  
I watch her intently for any movement as I get closer, but she doesn't stir. Standing only a couple of feet away from her I wonder if she might be dead already, she's so pale, and for some reason now looks small and innocent like a child. Unable to resist the urge I kneel down besides her and reach out to her neck with my hand to check her pulse.  
  
Like a cobra strike her hand whips out from its dormant position and clamps hard around my wrist, the crushing pain of its iron grip forces an involuntary cry from me. Looking now at her face I see she's awake all right and a hell of a lot stronger than me in her weakened state. Even without her hold on me I doubt I could leave this very spot right now, my legs seem to of turned to lead and I'm frozen in place before her.  
  
"Who are you and who do you work for!" She snaps.  
  
"I. I, don't work for anyone." I say feebly.  
  
Narrowing her eyes at me keeping a firm hold on my wrist I start to feel a gentle pressure build up in my head. I feel totally paralyzed by her gaze, as she seems to look right through me. Then as quickly as the feeling came the pressure within my head fades and I let out a heavy breath that I didn't even know I was holding.  
  
"Your human." She says and I'm not sure if she's saying it to herself or me.  
  
"Last time I checked." I say weakly, my hand starts to feel numb as a dull ach builds up in my arm.  
  
As if sensing my pain she releases my wrist and leans back against the wall, a small sigh escapes her lips. Wanting to get the hell away from here, I find that my legs still refuse to move, a panic starts to wash over me as I realise I'm trapped even in this open space.  
  
"What are you doing here child?" she says looking at me sideways. "This is no place for you I think."  
  
"I, er, urm. it's kinda complicated, I was sort of told to come here, a spirit or something crashed a ritual of mine and ordered me to be in London tonight and told me to let my senses guide me to the place of rest. For some reason I got drawn to this alley, not much of a place of rest." I ramble out nervously.  
  
She's staring at me strangely now, as if I was some kind of complex enigma to be understood. "Now I wouldn't say that, soon enough this will be my place of rest. Maybe the fate's took pity upon me and sent you to act as my death watch." She says bitterly.  
  
"Is. Is there anything I can do to help?" I ask timidly.  
  
For an instant an expression of shock dashes across her face and is gone within the same instant. A smile I could only describe as cynical grows upon her face.  
  
"No child, nothing you or anyone could do can help me now. Did you see the others that were here before?" She asks. I nod my head in response and fidget around with my hands a bit at the thought of them.  
  
"The blond wench, Tess, it seems has finally succeeded in defeating me, though I'm shamed to admit it. She managed to get one of my most trusted servants to betray me by putting a deadly poison in my meal, which has no cure."  
  
"Sean?" I ask.  
  
A grim smile crawls across her face, "I see you were listening as well as watching child."  
  
"My name's Liz."  
  
"I know Miss Parker, I know." She says with a genuinely nice smile that makes her eyes almost sparkle.  
  
"How? How, did, you, know that?" I ask stunned.  
  
"There are more things in heaven and earth than mere mortals can ever comprehend? That's your own motto I believe child." She says chuckling, obviously enjoying my discomfort.  
  
Then in mid-chuckle she stops and looks at me with an expression of shock and what almost looks like hope.  
  
"What reason did this, being, give you for coming here child?" She asks slowly pronouncing each word clearly.  
  
"It said something about me destiny awaits me, and that I must seek out this guy, become one with him in every way and unit against our enemies, Zan was his name.."  
  
"Zan!" Serena exclaims looking suddenly much more alert and astonished.  
  
"Yeah, do you know him?" I ask. She continues to sit there looking at me not answering my question for a few moments.  
  
A sinister smile appears on her face and a look that reminds me of a hungry wolf spotting its prey fills me with dread.  
  
"It seems the fate's have deemed me fit to have a vessel for my revenge before I finally pass from this world and into the next." She says smugly.  
  
"W.. w.what?" I stutter, my senses going berserk and my instinct is telling me to get the hell outta here now, but I find I'm still spellbound by her presence.  
  
"I'm going to give you a gift that no mortal or immortal has ever been given in known history child.  
  
As you most probably have already guessed if you were paying attention to my earlier conversation I'm not precisely human. In fact I'm a vampire, a very old, very wise, and very tired vampire. Over three millennia have passed since my turning, wisdom full with unimaginable powers has grown with me, I have formed one of the most powerful vampire clans named the 'Brujah' and gained my own seat at the very most high vampire council.  
  
Now in desperation to save all that I have worked for, I give it to you."  
  
"W.w.what?" I stutter for a second time. 'Give it to me?'  
  
"There are two things I refuse to let happen you see, the first being that I will never let that foul insidious harlot gain control over my clan and second is that I refuse to die by her hand, that kind of victory shall never be hers.  
  
So you shall become my true childer and I your sire before death claims me. Everything that was mine shall become yours."  
  
"But. I." A confusion like no other grips hard within me. One part wants to run as fast and as far as I can away from this woman, another part, a part that refuses to keep silent, wants what she offers.  
  
'Immortality! I could live forever, watch the very birth of civilizations, spend decades or centuries learning the sciences, have it all on a silver platter before me.' I think to myself.  
  
"If it helps you any child, you don't really have a choice in the matter, I have already decided for you. Or more correctly it seems some higher power has decided for you." She says as if sensing my thoughts once more.  
  
Before I get the chance to say another thing she becomes a sudden blur of motion striking out towards me pulling me back with her. I hot pain seeps into my neck, it feels just like a double jellyfish sting, fighting against her strength is useless, surrendering into her I allow my body to go limp in her arms as I wonder what is to become of me.  
  
~Do not worry child, you will prevail, it is destined.~ I hear the voice within my head say. A shock courses through me when I realise she can not only send her thoughts, but also read her own. I try a desperate attempted to hide them deep in my mind throwing up a smoke screen of thought to block her but it's as useless as fighting her physically.  
  
~You shall be a vampire like no other child. One born to true power.~ Sensing my confusion she continues.  
  
~When a vampire is sired child, their maker gives them a tiny portion of their essence, it is this essence that turns them and brings them over into the world of darkness. As years, decades, and centuries go by this essence grows inside them like a seed and they slowly become stronger with each passing moment of their unlife.  
  
The more essence a maker gives to their child, the stronger that child will be and more powers it will have, but this takes a toll on the maker, which is why a vampire sires very few other vampires in their lifetime. No vampire has ever received more than one third of his or her maker's essence, till now that is.  
  
I shall give you everything that's in my power to give to child. Strength, powers, knowledge, wisdom, that I have gained over my existence shall be passed on to you. It will no doubtfully cause my death, but better to die by my own hand, on my own terms, then to die by Tess's.~  
  
I can feel the very last part of that thought encrusted with hatred and disgust, the coldness of the silence that follows chills me even more than the winter breeze around me. I can only vaguely feel the exterior cold now, it seems distant somehow as I slip further and further into a void of darkness.  
  
Pressure is on my lips and a sweet rich taste leaks onto my tongue. Like a kitten I instinctively start to lap up the delicious juice. Horror strikes right through me when I realise what it is I'm drinking, she has opened up a wound upon her wrist and is letting me drink from it, the revulsion of what it is I am doing is not enough though to make me stop. I just can't for some reason, it's as if I had been lost in a desert for days with no water and then coming upon a hidden oasis with crystal clear fresh water within it.  
  
~That's it my child, drink, you will need it all for your rebirth. A vampire like no other to ever walk the earth is what you will be. You shall take my place as head of the Brujah clan, dispose of any that refuse to follow you, reek my revenge upon the Tzimisce clan of Tess's and any other clan that stands with her.  
  
It is your destiny to do these things, and your accomplice in the ordeal it seems has already been chosen for you. If in need of aid turn to the Lazombra leader, he has been one of my most trusted friends for eon's and will help and train you knowing that you are my chosen successor. You already even know his name child, Zan.~  
  
'Zan? That beauty of a male?' I mentally sigh at the thought of meeting such a man in person, a now odd eagerness consumes me. I hear what seems to be a chuckle within my mind.  
  
~Nice to know that you don't set you sights low child, that's all I can say.~  
  
Embarrassment overwhelms me knowing she had just heard my thoughts, but it doesn't stay with me for long though when I hear her next and last words.  
  
~Like no other child, you will be a vampire like no other,  
  
I shall live on within you my daughter,  
  
I shall have my revenge through your hands and your actions,  
  
And every dream your mind could ever imagine shall be your reward.~  
  
This is the last thing I hear as I drift off into unconscious, a dark warmth embracing me as I go. 


	3. Frenzy

Previously  
~Like no other child, you will be a vampire like no other,  
  
I shall live on within you my daughter,  
  
I shall have my revenge through your hands and your actions,  
  
And every dream your mind could ever imagine shall be your reward.~  
  
This is the last thing I hear as I drift off into unconscious, a dark warmth embracing me as I go.  
  
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Part 3  
Cold,  
  
So cold.  
  
Shivers run right through my body.  
  
I distantly feel the bitter frost turning my limbs numb.  
  
'What the hell? Where am I?' I wonder, not even able to recall my own name.  
  
Trapped within the obscurity of my mind I become aware of the world outside and try to open my heavy eyelids.  
  
All my clothes are wet through with a freezing dampness, every muscle in me screams in pain when I try to move, yet I mange to sit myself up on the concrete ground.  
  
Like a lighting bolt the memories arise within me, the ritual, the spirit, the fight, Serena.  
  
'Shit, what the hell did she do to me?' My hand swiftly moves up to my neck where I had been bitten, but tracing my fingerers across my skin I can find no wound.  
  
For a moment I almost doubt that it ever happened, until I look beside me and see a pile of dust shaped in a humanoid form. Flinching away from it in horror I feel as if someone has just thrown a heavy weight upon my shoulders, dizziness overcomes me for a moment and my vision blurs only to return a few seconds later.  
  
Fear grabs me upon remember her last words.  
  
"I'm not dead, I'm not dead, I'm not a vampire." I mumble to myself in a manta as if hoping saying it over and over will make it true.  
  
Relief sweeps over me when I touch my neck for a second time to check for a pulse and find one. A faint, very slow one, but one still the same.  
  
Standing up gradually on shaky legs I make my way out of this alley of gloom and towards the daylight desperately. The moment I set foot upon the pavement I double over on to the ground as my senses are overwhelmed with pain.  
  
Walking out from the shadows seems to have caused an explosion of brightness to ignite around me, searing my eyes. The white light that seems to bounce off everything comes straight through my eyelids even when I raise my hands to hide my face.  
  
The sounds of a huge war surround me from every angle, the deafening noise threatens to make my very eardrums rupture. Crawling on my hands and knees clumsily, I go back into the darkness and safety of the alley.  
  
I stay huddled on the cold wet concrete for a few minutes curled into a fetus position, pleading with myself to wake up from this nightmare, but I don't, instead the pain slowly diminishes, and the sharp cutting sounds fade slightly so that I'm able to remove hands from their death grip around my ears.  
  
'What did she do to me?' I silently cry out.  
  
Little by little I build up the courage to open my eyes and take a glimpse behind me too see what's so terrible and could reduce me to a cripple with seconds. But I don't see anything terrible, no end of the world seems to come while I slept as I glance the strip of street I see before me.  
  
Creeping slow and cautiously forward I once again peep at the light, treating it as if it was some raging fire threatening to scold me with one glance. Squinting as I partially emerge from the shade I see that there is no such raging fire or out break of war as I first thought.  
  
Everything seems the way it normally looks accepts for how bright and shinning it all appears. Steadily getting used to this level of light I look towards the sky and gasp at realising the sun isn't even out, it's hiding behind the thick early morning clouds, not so much as one ray escape its thick gray cloak.  
  
A gentle thudding noise claws my attention across the street to where a small puppy no more than 12 weeks old happy plods along by itself.  
  
'It looks so sweet, so innocent, the poor little thing must have been born a stray.' I think to myself, almost forgetting the iceberg of problems crushing down upon me.  
  
As if hearing my thoughts it stops in its tracks and looks right at me with big beautiful eyes that I'm able to focus on even from here.  
  
An eagerness and joy fills it at seeing me, how I know this I'm not sure, all I know is that it's so utterly happy and starts to run as fast as its little legs can across the road towards me.  
  
A blur of motion comes from the left heading straight into its path, I only get a chance to comprehend that it is a car before an earth shattering sound detonates and I find myself once again huddled into a fetus position groping madly at my ears trying to block out the sound as the void once again engulfs me into darkness.  
  
How long I was lying there for I don't know, but as I come too I feel a soft warm wetness being gently pressed against my cheek. I'm a little startled to look up and see a small worried fuzzy face staring back at me. The adorable Labrador puppy continues to lick my cheek until I sit myself up against the wall.  
  
"A car horn, that damn noise that almost made my head explode, was a car horn." I say to myself in shock.  
  
The puppy plods along round to my side and begins to softly nuzzle my hand, a small smile grows on my face. It looks up at me with two big beautiful brown eyes and my heart melts at the sight as it brings its two front paws up onto my abdomen and lets out a delighted puppy yelp slanting its head to the side looking at me. Picking the small thing up I place it in my lap and begin to stroke its soft warm golden fur as it snuggles down contentedly.  
  
I'm snapped out of my revelry as dark memories from last night once again begin to surface and a thousand questions comes attached to each of them.  
  
The events replay themselves over and over in my head till I can't stand it anymore.  
  
'What am I? What happened? And what should I do now?' I wonder.  
  
Every time I think about the fight, and the blond Tess I find myself overwhelm with a hatred I could of never imagined, which seems to come from deep within me. That little bitch, Sean and Pierce are responsible for this, if it hadn't been for them leaving Serena here she wouldn't of been able to do whatever she's done to me.  
  
'Wait, Pierce? What the hell? How did I know that the other guys name was Pierce?' I ask shocked. No answer comes to my silent question as I continue to sit there and brew on what happened.  
  
I force myself to swallow upon feeling the dryness in my parched throat, which seems to have appeared from nowhere. Staring blankly at the wall in front of me I wonder if things could get any worse. As if on queue I feel a tightness within my chest pull at me. A burning soreness seems to ignite along with a dreadful sting of pain in my throat and my vision blurs as a nauseating feeling consumes me.  
  
Then just as swiftly as it had come the pain starts to easy and die away leaving a warm contented sensation.  
  
The Horror.  
  
The horror of coming back to my senses and seeing what I see is almost too much for me to deal with considering my already fragile mental state. Dropping the small soft bundle with a jerk, it falls back into my lap. I stare wide-eyed in revulsion at what I have done, the small puppy's unconscious body struggles for breath, its rib cage heaving up and down as blood slowly trickles out from the scruff of its neck on to the beautiful golden fur.  
  
The worse thing though, the most sickening thing of it all is the fact I can still taste the blood on my tongue and like it.  
  
The small body takes one more last gasp of air and goes still. I dig my nails in to my hand silently begging it to take another breath, I wait for what must have been ten minutes, before the truth of the fact it wasn't going to take another sinks in.  
  
I look at it's face and wince at the sight, the eyes that had been so full of life and joy were now dull and blank, the jaw of the tiny creature hangs open with its small pick tongue drooping out to the side.  
  
A tear rolls down my cheek and falls upon the fur, I move my hand unconsciously to wipe the drop off, only to recoil it back at feeling the now cooling body.  
  
As if something physically snaps inside me, a floodgate of tears open up, and I cry and cry, unable to stop.  
  
I cry for the innocent puppy that lies dead in my lap.  
  
I cry for the fact that I was the one that took the life.  
  
I cry for myself, and for what I have become, a monster.  
  
I cry for Serena, and her death, for if it had never happened I wouldn't be damned like this.  
  
And I cry for what the future holds for me, knowing only one thing for certain, that it will never be the same, I am now trapped in a world of darkness, one that I doubt I will ever be free from.  
  
Not being able to stand it a second longer in this alley, the alley that has torn my life from me, I quickly and yet gently move the small body down onto the concrete, I take one last glance at it, noting how it seems to be only in a sweet sleep from this angle.  
  
Heading out into the light I run, I run like I never have before, I run as if the devil himself was snapping at my heals.  
  
I keep on running, with the one hope that I'll be able to leave the terror behind me, knowing even then, deep down, that the worse has yet to come.  
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Start of History, Notes, and loads of other stuff about vampires to understand the story line. This is basic knowledge taken from the Vampire Masquerade RPG, you don't actually need to read this to read the story, but it makes for good footnotes.  
Some of the Kindred have remained very staid and static since almost a millennia ago, while others have changed radically. I will give breakdown of each clan in the story after it has been mentioned.  
  
Warning though, you might not understand everything in each breakdown of the clans till you come to the part in the story that will explain it all. Think of it as a confusing spoiler, and something for all those that like complex storylines to brew on. The breakdowns will basically tell you what the clan is like on a whole and will give you a bit of their history.  
  
Also as you'll slowly gather from reading these breakdowns, this fic isn't gonna be quite like others, remember this is a dark fic, there is no truly good clan, there is no truly good person, there is no right or wrong side to be on. The only reason you might associate the Tzimisce clan as being bad is coz Tess was the leader of it, when as a matter of fact every clan is just as bad as hers in their own unique ways. The only 'good' thing in it is gonna be the M/L romance, as for the rest of it, well, you'll see.  
The 13 known Kindred Clans in Alphabetical Order(you'll have to wait till later in the story to find out where the 14th has come from and which one the 14th is.)  
  
Assamite, Brujah, Cappadocians, Giovanni, Followers of Set, Gangrel, Lasombra, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Ravnos, Toreador, Tremere, Tzimisce, Ventrue  
Clan's mentioned in last parts  
Brujah (Serena/Liz's Clan)  
  
The Brujah are the ultimate scholar-warriors, always striving toward perfection of mind and body. The elders of the clan can recall the Golden Age and speak wistfully of lost Carthage. Unfortunately, no wound stings worse than a dream denied. The death of the Carthage(does not refer to Serena) seems to have only increased their rancor, and the other clans' refusal to move beyond the status quo leave a bitter taste in their mouths. So they fight.  
  
They fight the Ventrue for destroying Carthage, they fight the Tzimisce for encouraging the status quo, they fight the Tremere for slaying Saulot(does not refer to Serena) - the list seems eternal. The Brujah are nothing if not lovers of a cause.  
  
One of the mainstays of the Great Anarch Revolt, the Brujah were barely brought to heel by the founders of the Camarilla, and the clan as a whole still resents the elders.  
  
Although technically members of the Camarilla, the Brujah are the sect's firebrands and agitators, testing the Traditions and rebelling in the name of whatever causes they hold dear. Many Brujah are outright anarchs, defying the authority of the Kindred and serving only their leader.  
Lasombra (Max/Zan Clan)  
  
Elegant yet predatory, the Lasombra honestly think of themselves as the apex of Cainite existence. Firm believers in Divine Right and the rule of the superior, they have little patience, though often much pity, for those Cainites who are, through no fault of their own, inferior. The Lasombra character is a curious mix of noblesse oblige and healthy contempt.  
  
They actively seek power wherever it may be found, from the halls of the cloisters to the corridors of palaces, yet they do not seek the titles and glory that comes along with rule: Most Lasombra prefer the role of kingmaker to the title of king.  
  
The Lasombra are of darkness and shadow. Many Kindred see the Ventrue and Lasombra as twisted reflections of each other. The Lasombra have all but turned their backs on their former nobility; the chaos of Kindred history and the formation of the Sabbat have caused most of them to shun their origins. Now, the Lasombra give themselves wholly over to the damnation of being vampires.  
Tzimisce (Tess's Clan)  
  
From time immemorial, the Tzimisce have haunted Europe beyond the Elbe. Along the Oder and Danube, through the Pripet Marshes, amid the Carpathian crags stalk the Fiends, each claiming its lair and wrecking a terrible vengeance on intruders.  
  
Millennia of defending their holdings from all sides have made Tzimisce extremely vicious, and Tzimisce cruelty is infamous even among vampires.  
  
By the modern nights, the Tzimisce have been uprooted from their Old Country manses and relocated into the clutches of the Sabbat. Clan Tzimisce lead these Sabbat in this rejection of all things human. They practice a 'fleshcrafting' discipline that they use to disfigure their foes and sculpt themselves into beings of terrible beauty.  
Glossary section 1 (you will need to know these following things to understand Part 3 a little better, it will be explained more in detail later in the story.)  
Blood  
  
As a human, blood courses through your veins in order to sustain life. As a vampire that doesn't quite happen anymore, but it is still as important as ever in sustaining unlife. In order to be able to use Disciplines(see disciplines), as well as to prevent a vampire from frenzying(see frenzying) blood is required.  
  
Blood will be used from your blood pool(the amount of living blood a vampire currently has in them) when Disciplines are used, in order to replenish a Blood Pool, a vampire needs to feed.  
Frenzy  
  
Vampires are monsters, possessed of an inner Beast. Though, like humans, they have the capability to overrule their baser instincts, sometimes they fail. When this occurs, the Hunger and the Beast become uncontrollable, and no one is safe. If a vampire is attacked or hasn't fed in a long time their frenzy level will increase until they can no longer control their actions, friend and foe alike must be wary of them, since they will begin to attack indiscriminately.  
  
The rate of frenzy depends on a few variables including the clan type(some clans frenzy more quickly than others), Blood pool level(if a vampire is starving for blood, then they are more likely to frenzy), and any damage they might of sustained(healing wounds requires high blood pool.) Certain Disciplines will also cause a vampire to frenzy faster, and there are also a few Disciplines that will lower the Frenzy level as well.  
  
Eventually some vampires have been known to naturally become unfrenzied.  
Disciplines  
  
Though vampirism is a curse, the Blood of Caine grants great mystical powers to those with the insight and dedication to pursue them. These powers are known as Disciplines.  
  
In later parts I will list this Disciplines. Rare vampires and other stranger creatures may have powers not on this list, as there are mysteries that remain hidden with the World of Darkness.  
Sub Glossary: Lexicon section 1  
  
The Kindred have their own dialect of specialized words and phrases. Vampires have a tremendous capacity for double-talk; what they say often means something other than its literal interpretation or something in addition to its simple meaning.  
  
Beast, The: The inchoate drives and urges that threaten to turn a vampire into a mindless, ravening monster.  
  
Childer: A vampire created through the Embrace - the childe is the progeny of their sire. This term is often used to derogatorily, indication inexperience. Plural childer.  
  
Clan: A group of vampires who share common characteristics passed on by the Blood. There are 13 known clans, all of which were reputedly founded by members of the Third Generation  
  
Embrace, The: The act of transforming a mortal into a vampire. The Embrace requires the vampire to drain her victim and then replace that victim's blood with a their own.  
  
Generation: The number of 'steps' between a vampire and the mythical Caine(find out more about him later); how far descended from the First Vampire a given vampire is.  
  
Kindred: The race of vampires as a whole or single vampire.  
  
Sire: A vampire's 'parent'; the Kindred who created them. 


	4. Awaken the Beast

Previously  
  
As if something physically snaps inside me, a floodgate of tears open up, and I cry and cry, unable to stop.  
  
I cry for the innocent puppy that lies dead in my lap.  
  
I cry for the fact that I was the one that took the life.  
  
I cry for myself, and for what I have become, a monster.  
  
I cry for Serena, and her death, for if it had never happened I wouldn't be damned like this.  
  
And I cry for what the future holds for me, knowing only one thing for certain, that it will never be the same, I am now trapped in a world of darkness, one that I doubt I will ever be free from.  
  
Not being able to stand it a second longer in this alley, the alley that has torn my life from me, I quickly and yet gently move the small body down onto the concrete, taking one last glance at it, noting how it seems to be only in a sweet sleep from this angle.  
  
Heading out into the light I run, I run like I never have before, I run as if the devil himself was snapping at my heals.  
  
I keep on running, with the one hope that I'll be able to leave the terror behind me, knowing even then, deep down, that the worse has yet to come.  
  
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Part 4  
  
Ever had one of those dreams which are so vivid that when you wake up it takes a while to figure out what is real and what isn't?  
  
Now imagine going for hours with that one same feeling, doubting whether what around you is real or not, unable to form one pure cohesive thought. Welcome to my world.  
  
I have no idea how I managed to get all the way home from London, I have no idea how I got into my house and now find myself waiting for the kettle to boil for a cup of tea. All my memories are either vague or jumbled up, distantly I realise I'm shock, but that information hasn't really seeped in that much. Completely running on autopilot like this I wonder somewhere in the recesses of my mind if this is what a zombie must feel like.  
  
The noise of the kettle boiling is like being in the center of Niagara falls, slowly becoming used to the loud sounds I've figured out all I have to do to gain control over my senses is to grit my teeth and try to behr with it. The more I seem to do this, the easier it becomes for some reason. That is, until the telephone rings and I once again found myself crumpled up on the floor.  
  
Things again become vague after that, next thing I know I'm sitting on my living room couch with my cup of tea warming my hands.  
  
Taking a sip of the warm brew I practically choke upon it and spit the contents on to the floor. The taste is vile, as if I had left the water to continually heat up over three days before drinking it, stagnant and repellent to the core.  
  
A loud knock at the door takes my attention off the disgusting taste as I get up and open it knowing already somehow its Alex. I stand there looking blankly at him for a moment and watch as a frown crosses his features at the sight of me.  
  
"God, Liz, what's happened to you?" He asks.  
  
"I woke up today and decided on a change." I say mockingly.  
  
"Liz, be serious, something's truly wrong with you."  
  
"I know."  
  
Walking back over to the couch I hear him close the door and follow me sitting down opposite. The silence that follows is almost tangible, he continues to stare at me all the while, and I realise then, he knows somehow, what has happened to me. I can see it in his eyes when pity replaces the anxiety in them.  
  
"What happened to you over the weekend Liz?" He asks plainly in an even voice.  
  
"You tell me Alex, you're the one who's a member of an Occult Order, shouldn't your lessons have taught you how to read people? Easy enough I think."  
  
"Yes, they teach us to read people, but your not a person anymore, I." He sighs. "Liz, even a first level initiate could tell something immense has happened to you, something evil, malevolence is practically oozing from you. If you weren't one of my closest friends I doubt I would of even come in this house."  
  
I fidget around in my seat as Alex's words make me extraordinarily uncomfortable. "Alex." I say, not sure how to begin, the last 24 hours seem to quickly pile upon me and I find myself longing for sleep.  
  
"Alex." I repeat once more. "W-what do you know about Vampires?" I ask hesitantly.  
  
"What type of Vampire's Liz?" He asks straight out, his expression unreadable.  
  
"There's more than one?" I ask astonished.  
  
"There are many different categories of Vampire's Liz, there are the vampires that seem for the most part to be physical, and vampires that have almost phantom-like attributes. Of the two, the first type of creature is reported the least often to our Order. The phantom type one feeds on living people while they are in bed at night, also there's one type called the 'Larve' which are spiritual entities that pray upon sick people, devouring energy when the persons defensive's are at their weakest. Also there are the 'Incubus' and 'Succubus' which are forms of vampire's that steal sexual energy through intercourse.  
  
Then there's the other category of vampire's, the one which I think your referring to." Alex says letting the sentence drift off.  
  
"Well.?" I ask expectantly.  
  
"I was hoping you could tell me Liz." Alex says dogging my question. Maintaining my stare at him I wait for him to give me some more information.  
  
"L-liz. you know more than anyone that I can't tell you anything I do know on that subject. The Oath I swore when I joined my order binds me to never share its secret's to non-members, the only reason I told you the other stuff was because you can find it easily available in books if you looked for a while. If I was to so much as to share the secrets with a lower level member of the Order I would be playing with fire."  
  
"Fine, I tell you what happened, then you can decide for yourself." I say uncertainly.  
  
I stifle on some of the words of my story as I tell him the whole awful tale, all the while holding back my tears hoping he'll know what to do. By the time I'm finished I feel like the slightest breeze could shatter me into a thousand pieces and I find myself haunted by the eyes of the small innocent little puppy once more.  
  
Alex hasn't said one word since I started the story, which is making me worry more and more by the second. "Alex. I-I'm so scared." I say feebly.  
  
The unreadable expression leave's his face and a sadness take's its place. "Oh, Liz." He says sorrowfully. My eyes blur with tears and I feel his arms wrap around me into a comforting cuddle.  
  
"Liz, come on, remember your training, you're stronger than this, I know it for a fact!" I feel his hand rubbing up and down my back as he continues. "Don't let your emotions overwhelm you Liz, you'll drown in them with this much grief, distance yourself from them and yet still feel them there."  
  
Following his basic instructions I start to gain control over myself again and give him a thankful smile.  
  
"Liz, I have an idea I want to try, to find out the extent of what's happened to you? Are you game to try it?" He asks hopefully.  
  
Giving him a confirming nod he draws me up from the couch with him and leads us down to the cellar that I've set up to by my ritual sacred space.  
  
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Sitting comfortably on the floor in the center of the room I continue to listen to Alex's instructions.  
  
"Kay, Liz, something's happened to you, and neither of us know the extent of it. The only thing we know for certain is that your senses are heightened and that you might have a more keened sixth sense now than you did before." Lighting a candle and placing it before me while burning some incense to a Cinder, I think I understand already what it is he has planned.  
  
"What I want you to do first is learn how to control these powers you know you have, so that any loud sound or bright light won't cripple you instantly. Just go into a trance like you would for a Tattwa vision Liz, but instead of going to another plane of existence, go within the recesses of your own mind and find whatever it is this Serena has put in there. You life-force has increased considerably by her adding to it, but I believe she has added more than just raw power and a vampiric lifestyle." He says almost jokingly, but I don't find it funny in the least.  
  
Sighing he goes over to the over side of the room to give me space as I start my breathing exercise. As I clear my mind of thought only one thing creeps in and that is how easy all this suddenly seems, slowing down my breathing rate and heartbeat normally takes 10 or 20 minutes, but it has leveled off to the right amount with seconds and before I know it I have fallen back within my mind, lost in its obscurity.  
  
I search blindly for anything in my subconscious that I have never felt there before and end up getting drawn to something in one of the very most darkness corners that seems to be almost beckoning me. The closer I get the more fear floods through me, but yet I am unable to turn back the way I came, like getting tangled in some web the more I struggle the tighter I seem to get caught.  
  
Then it strikes and my worse fears ignite at feeling the hostile charge towards me. The atmosphere starts to feel like it's crashing down on me, suffocating my very essence. A powerful darkness grabs and tugs at my nonexistent limbs, pulling me down and down all the while I try to claw my way to freedom from it. Fighting doesn't seem to help, it only slows the process, and the more I fight the weaker and weaker I become.  
  
Then the pain comes.  
  
I try to scream.  
  
As the darkness devours me...  
  
But it does no good.  
  
Deeper and deeper I go,  
  
Till I find myself trapped  
  
In a place where no light falls. ~  
  
My eye's snap open and dart around the room I'm in looking at everything. Something's different about me, but I'm not sure what, I don't even really care what. I rise from my sitting position in one graceful motion, as a voice from the other side of the room gets my attention I turn in that direct quickly.  
  
It stands there expecting me to answer some question I didn't even hear. A wicked grin goes across my face as I slowly stalk my way towards it with predatory poise, my tongue involuntary licking my lips in anticipation.  
  
"Liz? Liz. I asked if you are all right?" Alex asks with concern.  
  
The stench of fear reeks from him and my mouth waters at the thought of tasting his blood flow down my throat. I stop a few feet away from him when something cry's out from deep within me not to do this. Ignoring the feeling I keep going forward until the screaming sensation within my head builds to such a fury I can't stand it anymore.  
  
'This one is not for feeding.' The thought seems to pop out of my head from nowhere and I don't understand from whence it came, but from the moment of hearing it, it seems to make perfect sense. 'Alex, his name is Alex' I realise 'I know this one somehow, but I, just can't, remember.'  
  
I scowl at not being able to recall all the details, but realise it doesn't matter either way, I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep. 'Serena, I must do what Serena asked of me.' Is the only thing that seems clear in the giant mess of memory I have.  
  
"I have to go now Alex." I say not so much as blinking as I look at him. The dread pours off of him, which only makes me smile more, not a kind smile though, the kind of smile that causes him even more apprehension.  
  
"W-what? Liz, what do mean? Go where?" He asks scared and confused as I stalk further towards him.  
  
"My seat at the high council calls to me, I must go and claim it as the new leader before any other Kindred do." I say simply as if it was the most plainest thing for everyone to see.  
  
"Liz what are you talking about? Why do you sound like that? What are you."  
  
He doesn't get a chance to finish his incessant questioning as I strike out with unnatural speed and slam his head against the wall. I hear his skull crack upon impact with the stone, a small trickle of blood is smeared down the wall as he slides down to the floor in a crumpled heap.  
  
I try to ignore my worry over the fact I miss judged my own strength when slamming his head, I'm even more surprised when relief fills me upon seeing the steady rise and fall of his chest and I realise he'll live.  
  
Turning around and heading up the staircase I leave his body lying there.  
  
'And now the Hunt truly begins, God have mercy upon any who oppose me, because I certainly won't.'  
  
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[b]Background information on part4[/b]  
  
Alex, in one part of the story refers to 'the categories,' of vampires. Those descriptions of 'phantom' or 'spiritual' vampire's are in fact not part of the 'Vampire Masquerade' or taken from my imagination. They are in fact from a book called 'Vampires: The Occult Truth' by Konstantinos. According to the back cover that I am now quoting from the guy 'lives in New York, has studied the occult for almost ten years, and has helped several victims of psychic-vampire attacks. He is also the author of 'Summoning Spirits: The Art of Magical Evocation', etc, etc. (Don't look at me, I have no idea if his crazy or not!?! Your guess as good as mine, damn cool book cover though.) 


End file.
